Unforgotten
by Rosarita Sauvage
Summary: Bella was turned before the wedding. They left Forks to live their eternity together. Alice has a vision... what will happen between Edward and Bella now? JacoBell. CH. SIX OFFICIALLY UP. Read and Review.
1. Explanations

"Do you, Bella Swann, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death, do you part?"

I couldn't help but grin at that last part. I saw Edward's lips twitch then, and knew he was thinking the same thing I was. Darkly humorous, but humorous, nevertheless.

"I do," I whispered the vow for fear my voice would break, and looked deeply into Edward's butterscotch eyes. The pastor turned his head to Edward and repeated the vow. He took my hands gently in his. "I do," he uttered.

"I pronounce you man and wife," the Pastor said, a serene smile wrinkled his face. "You may kiss the bride."

Edward's hands slowly reached up and pushed my veil over my head and cupped my cheek. Never taking his eyes off mine, he moved his face to mine and his lips gently touched mine. I closed my eyes and my lips parted beneath his, inhaling his scent.

"Bella?"

I snapped back into reality then, met with questioning black eyes. I shrugged, smiling a little, letting him only glimpse ultra-white teeth. He rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. I grinned wider and kissed his lips firmly. He broke away and put his hand on my waist. "Let's hunt now."

It'd been about four years since Edward had turned me. Victoria had kidnapped and tortured me for nearly an hour before Alice, Emmett and Edward had arrived to save me. I vaguely remember lying limply on the concrete basement floor of the Cullen's abandoned mansion while Edward, Alice and Emmett fought Victoria and gradually ripped her limb from limb.

Carlisle arrived then, and tried to tend to me. I blacked out by that point, but I was told after I had awoken that Carlisle had told Edward that if he didn't turn me, I would die. And that was all it took.

Four days later, I awoke with vibrant ruby eyes, skin so white it was almost transparent, and perfectly structured, brilliantly white teeth. Edward took me hunting a couple of days after my own blood had been used up, and upon feeding on one or two deer, my eyes gradually went from dull red to molten topaz.

The search for my body was called off around in about three months' time. Everyone believed I had been mauled by a bear or mountain lion or something else similar, and there weren't any remains to be found. I was very sad to see Charlie and Mom as upset as they were, especially since I'm not really dead, but it was a sacrifice I willingly made for my Edward. So anyway, as the story goes, I had been eaten by a bear. And everyone bought this story save for one group of people.

The Quileutes. Or more specifically, Jacob, Billy, Sam Uley, and the rest of the pack of werewolves. They believed that the reason the Cullens left Forks was because Edward, not a bear, murdered me. Billy contacted Carlisle himself and told him that if they ever set foot in forks again, there would be hell to pay. I told Edward to ignore the threat, because I wouldn't be able to go back anyway, and that it was pointless to get a fight started. We left it alone, and moved to a town in Northern Michigan, away from Washington and the Quileutes.

It was a terrible process, and I miss a lot of my old friends and family terribly--Charlie and Mom, and especially Jacob. But I have my soon-to-be family, the Cullens. And now I have Edward.

So that's the Summary/Epilogue/whatever. I'm sorry it's short, but I wanted to see what everyone's opinions were before I continued, and if anyone has any tips about format or spelling/grammar... I checked it over, but I miss things occasionally. Your support/criticism is greatly appreciated. Thanks. 3


	2. An Angry Exchange

Edward was troubled. He felt Bella curl up to him, but it wasn't the same. She wasn't warm anymore, that was true, and he missed that, but there was something else that he wasn't the same. Not about her, about him. He wanted something different. And then there was the ordeal about the calling. 

He'd heard it last night, while Bella lie in his arms on their bed. She didn't stir, so even with her acute hearing, she didn't detect it. It was calling his name, whatever it was. A soft breath of a whisper upon a breeze through the open window. It sounded so sweet, so enticing…

He shook his head. Bella looked at him questioningly.

"What's wrong?" she asked him. He shook his head, looking up at the ceiling. She frowned, but stood from the bed. "I'm going to go call Rosalie and see what time she's wanting to go shopping," she told him, covering her naked form with a silk robe. He nodded his head, watching her stride gracefully from the room. Another thing he missed… catching her when she fell. She never fell anymore.

Once she had left the room, his thoughts traveled back to the calls. He was suspicious of them, but something about them attracted him. He wanted to find where it was coming from. He arose and dressed quickly.

He walked down the stairs to find Bella just hanging up the phone. Her face fell at the expression on his. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he replied gruffly, not bothering to put on a jacket since they were away from any people. "I'm going hunting."

"But we just—"

"I didn't get my fill," he said loudly, his voice firm and snappy. She looked taken aback, and then frustrated.

"Then do you want me to come along?" she asked.

"If I had wanted you to come, I would have invited you." His tone was cold, surprising even him. He knew that she was probably hurt by his words but was trying not to show it.

"Do you have a problem?" she demanded, her hands flying to her hips and her glare piercing his eyes. He stomped and opened the front door, slamming it behind him. He felt the force of the impact split the door, and the doorknob came off in his hand. He turned to see her wide-eyed, and looked down at the now-crumpled doorknob. He threw it to the ground.

"I'll fix it when I get back," he muttered over his shoulder. He figured that she'd have been crying if she could, but making her think he was angry at her was the only way he was sure she wouldn't follow him. He heard Rosalie pull up outside the house, and knew that Bella would be leaving to go shopping without bidding him goodbye. And frankly, he didn't care.

Alice dropped the china she was dusting. She didn't feel it brush through her fingers. She didn't hear it crash loudly on the floor. She felt her eyes grow wide in complete darkness. Colors flashed at random. She heard people, but it wasn't talking. It was thoughts carrying a conversation to and fro.

"_You're breathtaking_,"

"_You flatter me so._ _But don't you have someone waiting for you at home?_"

"_I don't know if I will keep her for much longer. I never realized how many of her human qualities I would miss. It's as though she isn't the same person. I don't love her as I did."_

Alice blinked, and she saw figures—shadows of things that were yet to happen. Silent, but somehow she knew exactly what was happening. She saw their lips exchange words. She said her name was Gabrielle. He touched her hair, and she leaned into his touch. Edward's lips caught hers, and Alice could feel the emotions they were both feeling. Alice blinked. Edward cradled Gabrielle in his arms, their naked forms hidden by what appeared to be a cloak. The images faded.

Alice's eyes slowly opened. She had slumped to her knees. The expensive china she'd bought to put on display in their dining room lay shattered not far away. She could see in color now, and heard everything from twittering of birds to butterfly wings. She tuned it all out, and reflected to what she had just witnessed in her mind.

She needed to call Bella, that was certain. She ignored the china on the ground, walking through it to her cell phone lying on the coffee table. Her fingers dialed the number quickly, and she became impatient at the slow, monotone ringing of the phone. Voice mail.

She swore loudly and hung up the phone. She paced a little and realized that today was the day that Bella was going shopping with Rosalie. She swore again, running her fingers through her hair. She would bet her eternity that Bella had walked right out the door without her cell phone… again.

"Damn it!" she breathed, pacing some more. How could Edward do this? After she'd basically given her life for him, this is his repayment. She knew he was rebellious and hesitant to settle, yes. But Bella seemed to have changed him for the better. Of course, it was perfectly obvious now that this wasn't the case.

Alice tried to remember if she knew where Bella and Rosalie had gone shopping. They hadn't told her. She swore again, trying to keep from smashing something; the things in this room cost a lot of money; to get angry here would be like an earthquake in a glass store. She stomped out of the room darkly, hearing all the trinkets, vases and what not titter and shake with the force of her angry strides.

She tried to check the future to see where Bella and Rosalie were shopping. For some reason she could find nothing. They must have just been shopping at random. Probably in another country, or at least state. She groaned and rubbed her temples in frustration. So be it. She'd have to wait until Bella got home.

So... like it? Hate it? Tell me so, whether you have an account or not. Feedback is good because it helps me know what changes/corrections I need to make. If you haven't read on my profile yet, I am going to be refusing to post the next chapter until I get 8 more people reviewing. Sorry, but that's the rule lol. Ttyl, much love to readers.


	3. Hurtful Truths

I waved a quick goodbye to Rosalie before she drove off, and turned to the front door. Balancing all my shopping bags on one arm, I pushed my key into the lock and was soon inside the house. As I ascended up the stairs to put away my newly purchased outfits and trinkets, I glanced into the "dining room", and my eyes found the still splintered door. It was dark out now, probably almost 10:00, and Edward still had not returned. If he had, he would have fixed the door by now.

I was putting everything away when I heard my cell phone ringing. I groaned inwardly, remembering that I had forgotten it downstairs on the coffee table. I was down the stairs in an instant, picking up the phone expecting the caller-ID to show the name "Edward"…

_12 New Voicemails._

I flipped the phone open and looked at the Recent Calls. Alice was the only one that had called recently. So Edward hadn't even called to apologize. I rolled my eyes angrily and pushed the "Send" button, not bothering to check the Voicemails. It rang for half a second when Alice picked it up. Her voice was frantic.

"Bella!" she said, worry in her voice. "Is Edward at the house?"

"No, he got upset over something earlier today and stormed out a little while before Rosalie came and got me. Why? Is he alright? Did something happen to him?" I asked.

"Ha, I wish. It'd serve him right if something DID happen to him," Alice muttered darkly. I was slightly shocked by her bitterness toward Edward. I'm pretty sure she'd always been his favorite "sibling", and vise versa. They loved one another very much. I was snapped out of my thoughts when she spoke again.

"Bella," she began in a careful, hesitant way, "I had a vision." I waited patiently. "Edward… didn't go hunting." The bomb dropped in my stomach. Duh.

My mind raced, and suddenly his unprovoked angry distance to me, his abrupt departure, having to go hunting when he wasn't hungry… I felt stupid for not seeing it before. I swallowed the lump in my throat, remembering that I had a phone in my hand.

"Ah," I said lamely, lost for words.

"He met a female in the woods. She lured him with her voice somehow. I think that may be her special power; she calls to someone, and they will come to her. I have been trying to have visions the whole time you were gone."

"Did you learn anything about her?"

"I can't get any visions about her future specifically. Just snippets of Edward's plans he has with her. He… doesn't plan on coming back to you, Bella." My mouth dropped. If my heart could beat, it'd be racing now.

"What? But… we can… get him back, right? I mean, it's just her trick. Like a siren. Once he's out of her range, it'll be broken. He will be free, and he'll... love me again…?" I kept stammering over my words, something I rarely did anymore. I could hear hesitance in Alice's silence.

"Bella... he knows she's a siren. He doesn't care. That particular gift specifically is common in vampires. It's a very minor gift. Every vampire has it to an extent, to where we can basically, in your words, dazzle someone into doing whatever we want. I've known of some of us who have it more powerfully than the ordinary vampire before, and I'm guessing she is one of them.

"It's a gift that doesn't really work well on other vampires. I mean, they can feel you trying to use it, but it doesn't completely ensnare one of us like it would a human. Our minds are stronger than that. So Edward could walk away from her if he wanted to...

"But it's like … he doesn't _want_ to walk away."

My breath caught in my throat, and I stopped breathing. I collapsed my weight down on the antique sofa that sat in our living room and sat very still, my eyes staring into space. I could hear Alice's voice in my head, but my thoughts were not registering what she was saying. Through my haze, I heard her ask if I was still here.

"Yes, Alice, I'm here." I said after a while, shaking my head and taking in the unnecessary breaths again. It was strange, to stay alive when not breathing. It was like Edward said before. I was breathing out of habit now, not out of need for air.

"I'll be over in an hour," she said simply. The phone clicked, and there was a dial-tone. I flipped the phone shut, still not blinking. She was probably expecting me to want to go track them, or hear comforting words from her. She'd probably even bring Jasper to administer his talents on me. The intentions were good, but I didn't want any of that.

I numbly dialed Edward's number into the phone. As though it was sitting right in the room with me, I could hear the slightly muffled ringtone ringing upstairs. I walked up the stairs at a human pace, and went into the bedroom, where the phone continued to ring. It was sitting on the nightstand by the bed. Edward never simply forgot his phone. There wasn't a moment when he didn't have it. He'd left it on purpose.

So… he really _didn't_ plan on coming back.

I hung up the phone and ignored Edward's phone now beeping with a "Missed Call" alarm as I dialed up Alice's number again. She seemed to answer the call before it had even begun to ring.

"Don't worry about coming over, Alice. I'm going to go driving, and I probably won't be back to the house," I told her, keeping my voice very calm. She didn't buy it. She started to plead for me not to do anything rash, that we could track them down, or she could come over for a while (see, I told you). I thanked her for her sympathy, but insisted that she did not visit.

"Bella… I'm sorry," Alice said, for once lacking words. I nodded even though she couldn't see me, and I could feel a small smile coming to my face for her sister-like attitude toward me even though I wasn't even married into the family yet.

"G'bye, Alice."

I hung up the phone, tucking it into the pocket of my knee-length black coat. I looked over at Edward's phone, and at the picture on the nightstand of he and me. I was still human, and we were sitting in the sunless meadow together. His flawless smile was beaming at the camera, and I was smiling happily, my cheeks flushed with my own blood for once. You could see his free arm around my waist as he held the camera away from us with the other hand to snap the picture.

I took off my engagement ring and looked at it. It was a very delicate thing, a large diamond laced with several tiny ones. White gold, expensive as hell. It had always been beautiful to me… until now.

I remembered now that we were to be married in two weeks. I stopped breathing for a moment, closing my eyes tightly. I knew that I'd have begun crying if it was possible for me to do so. How easily and unkindly he'd tossed me aside this time. Last time he was much more considerate than this. His new behavior was strange to me. This new girl must be a lot of things that I am not.

My normal composition returned, and I blinked, clearing my throat. I gently put the engagement ring on the nightstand next to the picture of us and turned to leave the bedroom.

I guess I should be more upset than this. I should be dry sobbing, wallowing in my own misery, or something like that. But I'm truthful when I say that I didn't hate him. I was shocked, but now that I think about it, there's no reason to be. It never made sense for him to love me, and deep down, I never expected it to make sense, nor did I expect him to truly love me. I was never his equal, and I'm still not, even now that I am one of his kind. I understood that we'd never be happy together. I also understood that I could not exist without him.

And I accepted it.

I walked down the stairs, again at human pace, purposefully not glancing at the pictures of us together, individual, or with the family. As I got into my Thunderbird in the driveway, I took one last look at the house.

_Our_ house. We'd picked out the house together. Paid for it, fixed it up, and furnished it together. I had always thought it was a beautiful house to be my home, and it had made my heart warm to see it. What I saw now was a house. An old, empty, dark, cold house. Not a home. Just a house.

Going down the road, I wondered how to kill myself. I couldn't go to the Volturi now. They'd want me to serve with them, and even though it'd be an interesting way to live the rest of my eternity, I still didn't like the idea of tricking tourists into their own demise. I'd have to find another family to anger somehow. Kill one of their own, perhaps. Hell, maybe Victoria and James had more acquaintances that would be angry to hear of their deaths. Somehow though, I doubted that.

Well, however way I was going to die, there was one last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to drive to Washington, and I wanted to see Forks one last time. I wanted to see the green again, and stand in the rain. Maybe visit the meadow, and then see Charlie and my old house…

There was someone else I hoped I'd be able to see, but going to La Push was out of the question. It would be dangerous now to go near the werewolves (obviously). I couldn't decide which would piss Jacob off more – the Cullens killing me and running away, or faking my death and taking me with them. I wanted to die soon, but being killed by one of my most beloved friends was not the last thing I wished to happen to me.

Or him.


	4. Author's Note

I'm sorry, I know that everyone hates these a whole buncha. You can relax though, I'm not giving up the story, I'm too persistant.

So basically, I'd like to apologize to my readers on behalf of my own stupidity. I uploaded it half done so that I could edit it and finish the second half of it on the smelly document editor, and I worked on the damn thing for about two hours now. Stupid, stupid me did that thing again where I get really "on a roll" with what I'm writing and forget to save changes as I go, and the next thing I know, my computer freezes and it closes freaking Internet Explorer. Grrr, badwords.

So pretty please forgive me, and I really hope that ya'll won't kill me, lol... but if you did you may not know what would happen, so there in lies the dilemma. But still, be real sweet. ;) I'll try my best to recreate the ending to the chapter and, if it is any amends, do my best to have it posted sometime this week. Thanks very much!

With love,

Rosarita


	5. Arrival

AN: Thanks so much for all the reviews and patience, it was greatly appreciated :). I'm rather fuzzy on the geography of Forks, so I'm basically going to make up all of this according to how I imagined everything upon reading the books. I just noticed today upon typing this chapter that I have been forgetting disclaimers. How silly of me…

DISCLAIMER: well, obviously I don't own Twilight or New Moon, otherwise I probably wouldn't be writing fan fictions.

After driving very fast for a while, I slowed down the Thunderbird when the roads became more familiar. As I drove, a soft clap of thunder tickled my ears. I could hear the rain before I even saw it. Fat drops of it plopped onto the windshield and windows of the car. Even though I didn't need them in order to see, I flipped on the wipers and watched the drops wipe away and stream down the sides of the windshield. I smiled.

_This is home,_ I thought to myself, for once feeling a small grain of real happiness trickle down my spine. I continued to smile as I drove past the familiar "Welcome" sign that signaled that I was passing into Forks.

I drove along the roads, remembering more and more as I went. As a human, I would have never thought I'd have even come close to being this attached to boring, rainy old Forks. But after all the turmoil, drama, and danger that I'd been through over the past four years, it was like a break from my new harsh reality and a trip into a memory.

The sweet smells of sawdust and grass filled my nostrils, mixed with the rain. It smelled beautiful. How could I ever have forgotten? Past the mills, I drove on until I was driving through Forks' Main Street.

I rounded a corner and drove on a ways until the road became slightly more worn. The grass gradually began to grow taller, and the trees on one side of the road gradually became denser as I drove. I could see a house very far in the distance. I sped up to about 80, but slowed down as I approached the house. I stopped quietly not far down the road from the house, though I could see the details of it perfectly well.

It was a small, white house. Plain, simple, livable. But apparently in the time of my absence, Charlie must have felt no obligation or necessity to keep the house looking clean. The small front yard was becoming over grown, and even from the distance away that I was, I could plainly see the dingy white paint chipping away from the wood. The porch looked dusty and cluttered, and I could see where some shingles had fallen and had not been repaired.

My eyes wandered, and a lump formed in my throat at the sight of my old red truck, still sitting in the driveway. I felt my lip quiver and the muscles in my neck tighten at this. He still hadn't sold it after I'd "died". I heard a faint creaking sound, and I looked. I saw a shadow moving inside the house. I stepped out of the car and bounded silently toward the house.

I stood outside the house now, determined not to make a sound. I took a gentle step onto the porch. It creaked, of course. I winced at the loud sound and looked toward where I knew the living room was, listening for any movement. None. The TV must have drowned out the noise.

I remembered the window to my bedroom upstairs and pushed it gently, hoping not to break it. It was locked. I furrowed my brow and looked at the little lock determinedly. It was just a little lock; after all, there was no reason why I could not move it.

I'd gained two special powers, and though immunity to most other vampires' powers seemed to come naturally, I hadn't quite mastered the other one completely. I hadn't been good at moving things lately, but Alice had told me that it'd take a while to get good control over my power to be able to use it all the time. No harm in trying, right?

I extended my hand, slowly spreading my fingers one at a time and focusing all my thoughts on the small lock. All I could picture in my mind was the lock moving on its own. I closed my eyes and focused my energy to my hand, my breath stopping in concentration. I heard a click. My eyes flew open and I looked. The lock had turned. I pushed at the window once again, and it opened freely. I grinned and quickly slipped in. I turned to look at the bedroom I'd once called mine. All my things were exactly as I'd left them.

I opened the door softly and peered down the stairs. His breathing was very even, I could hear that. It was more ragged-sounding than I had remembered. He snauffed very loudly, making me jump a little. I was so concentrated on the even breathing it caught me by surprise.

Certain he was asleep, I tiptoed down the stairs quickly, my feet making little sound save for one or two tiny creaks. I sidled against the wall to the corner and peeked around the edge. The sight of him clutched at my cold, dead heart.

Charlie looked shockingly older than he had when I had "died". He'd noticeably lost some of his weight, and his skin looked paler, slightly more worn. A closer look told me that he had dark circles engraved beneath his eyes. I could also tell that his hair was greyer, his scalp slightly more visible. He was withered, worn, and frayed… and it was my fault that he was.

I wanted to run over to the armchair and shake him awake, tell him that I was not dead, and not to worry. I wanted to make his dinner like I used to, and live here with him in this house so that he wasn't alone. So I wasn't alone.

But, sadly, that was all impossible.

I watched him sleep for a while – still unsure about how long of a while—before I finally went back I went upstairs to shut the window back. I planned to lock the window as I had found it and leave through the front door. As I turned the little lock on the window, I heard a creak on the floor behind me. I whipped around, eyes wide.

Charlie stood in the doorway brandishing a nightstick. In the darkness of my small bedroom, I could hear his teeth grinding together, his face fierce with rage.

"Who's there? _Stay where you are!_" he commanded angrily, holding the nightstick in a menacing way. I gulped and took a step back, my hands up in the air.

"Stay calm," I said softly. By the speeding of his increasing blood pressure (to my unwanted eagerness), I could tell that this statement only enraged him further. His hand flew to the wall beside him and flipped the light switch on. His eyes widened when he saw my face. He dropped the nightstick. And I watched relief as his blood drained from his face.

We stood for a long time, neither saying a word. He stared at me, and I stared at his face, trying to ignore my own salivation at the sight of his veins bulging out of his neck. He kept opening and shutting his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

There was nothing that could be said.

"Bella…?" he said bewilderedly, his eyes wild with many emotions. I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Hey, Dad," I said warmly, the phrase coming out easily and normal, as though it'd been a typical day and he'd just arrived from work while I was finishing making dinner. He simply stared, taking in my changed appearance with surprise and shock. I listened to his heart beat rapidly, and his breathing become deeper and more frantic sounding. He leaned up against the wall and began to wheeze. Worry struck through my chest. Good one, Bella. Rise from the "grave" and give Dad a heart attack.

I was by his side in an instant. I put a hand on his back and held his elbow gently with the other so that he wouldn't fall if he collapsed. "Dad, are you okay? Calm down... breathe, it's okay." I said softly, but I was sure he could hear the panic in my voice. I breathed with him so that he would match my breaths, and I could gradually hear his heart rate and breath return to normal.

"B-Bella... is it... is it really you?" he gasped out slowly as he brought his eyes up to meet mine in the dark, still on the verge of hyperventillating, I could tell. I frowned.

"No."

He lowered his head again, defeated. It hurt me to see him like this, but I knew it was impossible to tell him the truth. I feared that he would do a lot worse than just hyperventillate. I cupped one of his cheeks softly with my hand, hoping to display sympathy. The cold from my hand shocked him, and his eyes shot up to mine in surprise. I smiled softly.

"You're dreaming, Charlie... when you wake up, you won't be able to find me. But I want you to know that I love you very, very much. And... even though you can't see me, I'll always be here." I watched his eyes tear up, and my lips quivered. "I love you, Dad." He smiled a very small smile as two tears dripped down off his chin. "I love you too, Bel-ACK!" I shot my hand up and chopped the side of his neck with my hand and watched him fall unconscious.

He began to fall forward, and I caught him lightly in my arms. Cradling him in my arms like an infant, I carried him downstairs to the chair he was in when I arrived and lay him down gently, careful not to accidentally bruise him. I brushed my lips over his forehead, trying to ignore the shiver that went over him when I did so, and swept from the house, locking the door behind me.

I was in my car in less than 3 seconds, and once the ignition was turned, I was speeding down the road. It was steadily getting more and more annoying and angering that I couldn't return to all the old people I used to know. That I couldn't return to Jacob and the werewolves, that I couldn't return to Charlie, and I knew that after Edward has moved on, I can never really return to the Cullens and still feel comfortable. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine being a vampire and being this powerless over everything. I hated it!

I pushed my foot down on the brakes to slow down, but I wasn't paying attention and hit it slightly harder than I meant to. I knew what was coming before it had finished happening: the tires screeched in protest, the car jerked to a hault, anything that was in the car other than myself lunged forward or else flew to the front of the car. I groaned and rubbed my temples, letting my head rest against the seat. I was ready for my "life" to end. Soon. I briefly pondered where to go next before I finally went to search for a way to end my life. I opened my eyes and looked over at the side of the road that was almost overgrown. I smiled.

Of course. I wanted to go into the Forest one last time. I hid the car in the brush, carefully covering it. I stood back and once was satisfied that no one passing by could tell it was there, I turned and looked up at the Forest, taking in every detail from the green leaves to the insects wriggling in the underbrush. As I stepped forward to begin my hunt, I couldn't help but smirk darkly.

_My last meal at home._

With that thought in her mind, Bella plunged into the forest, leaping long, gazelle-like bounds through the trees and listening intently for movement of animals in the forest. But... little does our young Bella know, one certain werewolf is throwing a foul tantrum only a few miles away...

(A/N: I hope you all like it, sorry it was delayed! Jacob Black will make an appearance in the next chapter, I assure you. Just be patient. Feedback is encouraged and greatly welcomed, thanks!!)


	6. Face to Face

**Okay, I know everyone was probably pissed that Jacob hasn't made an appearance. I was originally going to have her just see Charlie in the house-- it would have shortened the Chapter and I probaby would have included more of this chapter into the next one, but I suddenly got a scene in my mind of an encounter between Bella and Charlie, and how a senario like that would have gone, and I decided to include it.**

**Well, thanks to my friend nagging me over Messenger to finish it, here's the next chapter, fresh-hot from the griddle.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight/New Moon.**

**And now since everyone's been so patient...**

If you were far away from the small house in La Push, all you could see was the little house, reasonably quiet, light on in the living room and a shadow moving around restlessly. If you were _not_ far away, however, you would have been able to hear angry roars, profanities, and an occasional crash or thump within the house.

Jacob Black blinked, his bloodshot vision only slightly obscured by the vodka. He let out a loud, "HA!" and threw back another swig from the label-less bottle.

"Never liked the fucking chair anyway," he said between swigs and stomped away again from the remains of a shattered chair. It had dented the wall, but not broken it completely. If he had been sober, he probably would have considered the busted TV screen, splintered door/doorframe, and the couch with large chunks ripped out of it unfamiliar. In this particular state of mind, however, it was a normalcy that was given no second thought.

Jacob collapsed his weight down on the couch and stared at the wall. Memories would replay through his head with every drink. Bella crying about how he had treated her or something he had said. Bella apologizing for things that weren't her fault, Bella offering him friendship, despite who he was. Despite _what _he was. Bella in his arms, their faces only centimeters apart…

Jacob's lip quivered and his eyes clenched shut to stop the moisture from his eyes. Unconsciously, his hand tightened on the arm of the couch, and another large fistful of it came loose. Annoyed, he threw it across the room and buried his face in one hand. Another image came to mind now. The bloodsucker's sneer at him at Bella's prom, the odd weak feeling he had against Edward when he was still human. The same glowering face was directed at him when he had brought the bikes to Bella's house so that she'd be grounded. Guilt and murderous feelings circulated through Jacob's veins once again. An image from his own imagination came to mind of Edward ripping Bella open and indulging in her still-warm blood…

Jacob howled with rage and in lighting speed had thrown the vodka bottle into the wall, shattering the bottle and punching a small hole in the wall a few inches away from photograph of he and Bella hanging there. It had been taken in his garage while he was still human, Bella holding the camera away from them with one hand. They were both grinning broadly; the bikes were almost finished. He sneered at the photograph and grabbed up the lamp next to the couch by its lampshade and hurtled it at the photograph. That was when it happened.

While the lamp was still flying through the air, before it had even hit the wall, it happened. Everything became slow motion for Jacob, his body rigid, his senses alert. The smell was faint, but hit his nostrils like a ton of bricks.

_Vampire._

He watched the lamp slowly smash into the wall, not seeing any of it. He was listening, smelling and watching. It was faint, but it was there. Probably no more than two or three miles or so from this very house. He laughed dryly. If Cullen thought that he could show his face back here after killing Bella, he was _dead_ wrong. Jacob had had several chances to fight Edward, several chances to challenge him, but he never actually made any moves for three reasons: Billy, Bella, and the wolf pack.

Billy and Bella were both dead now. The wolf pack was worried that if Edward was attacked, the treaty would be broken and there'd be a fight between them and the Cullens. Well, the treaty was already broken, Edward had killed Bella. An eye for an eye now, and Jacob could tell that the rest of the "family" hadn't come. After Edward was dead, the two groups would be even, and the Cullens would have no right to return for a fight now.

Jacob Black had left the house before the broken remains of the lamp had hit the ground.

I crouched silently in a tree, my eyes dark with bloodlust as I watched the creature below me.

It was a small buck, but it was the only one I'd seen, and it was better than nothing at all. I could almost feel its body heat from where I was, hear it's heart pumping steadily as it walked slowly between the trees. The rain didn't fall nearly as thick through the thick trees, but every so often, a the thunder would sound in the distance. At the sound of the boom, the deer's heartbeats would quicken ever so slightly. It was driving me mad.

I shifted her weight quickly, making no sound. However, the buck suddenly became rigid, as though it was aware of the danger that it was in. It turned and began to try to run.

I quickly jumped from the tree, landing nimbly in front of the deer. Before it could react, I grabbed it by its antlers and sunk my teeth deeply into the side of its neck.

He could almost feel himself sobering, the effects of the alcohol seeming to wash away in the rain and his mind becoming more clear. He was sprinting toward Forks now, figuring he'd be able to get there quicker through the trees. As he ran, he could feel the tremors beginning to stir his body, but he desperately tried to hold them back.

"_I want the fucker to see my face before I kill him. I want him to know _**exactly**_ which wolf will end his existance tonight_."

Adrenaline and murderousness circulating through him, he plunged through the quickest shortcut he knew that would eventually lead to Forks. It seemed like he was getting closer now, the scent was stronger. He could smell blood on the air now, and knew that Edward had probably been hunting. His legs quickened as he ran in the direction of the scents, his feet perfectly soundless.

I signed in content, my system full, and my body warmer than before.

The meal was over, and the bloodlust was decently satisfied. After leaving the scene to where the smell of blood was a lot fainter, I was calm, and wandered through the trees peacefully. The patter of the rain on the leaves above me serenaded me as I drifted silently among the trees, the scent of rain in my nose. I looked up and watched in what seemed to be slow motion as a rain drop slowly slid from a high up leave and dripped. I watched it fall until it was close, then closed my eyes and let it plop onto my forehead. I smiled broadly.

But smile faded quickly. Something was coming.

I whirled around, looking in every direction, my senses acute and the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. I felt the anxiety, the foreshadowing danger that something was coming fast. I took off my jacket quickly so that I would not rip it should I have to fight. I felt a rush of air behind me now, but I did not turn. I simply closed my eyes and breathed. I could smell his scent now, it was a pity that I could not smell it before. He smelled of wood and of spice. A warming sensation similar to the effect of cinnamon tickled my nose. I slowly turned and was met with deep brown eyes that had quickly drained from anger to shock.

I knew they wouldn't last that way for long.

_It can't be._

It had to be some sort of trick. Some sort of illusion. He had thought he was stalking Edward, the vampire scent stronger and reaching him from a further distance. As he had gotten closer, he sensed something else, but in his rush had ignored it. Now he recognized her scent along with the vampire scent. Floral. And now that he really analyzed it, it wasn't even really the same vampire scent. It was softer somehow. The same feeling peppermint gave. It chilled his nose, like a snowflake had landed on it.

He took in her appearance. She was the same, yet so different. She was paler, but she was somehow more beautiful than he had remembered, if that was possible. Her hair was shimmery, her skin seemed to glow faintly, her lips tinted red as well as her cheeks. Her sad eyes were a warm, soft liquid topaz.

It was at the sight of her eyes that he knew exactly what had become of her. He felt the muscles in his face tighten at the seemingly-apologetic gaze she was sending him. He scowled at her.

"Never," he began quietly, struggling to control his volume, "_never_ had I thought that you would be so heartless. So cruel. So uncaring... to abandon Charlie, to leave him in that house alone just to follow your selfish little ambitions. I know that bloodsucker did this to you... he broke the treaty now." he sneered, his lips curling.

"Call on your precious Edward now, if he's brave enough to come. It's time for him to face his punishment." He watched her body tense. He assumed, if she had a pulse, that it would be speeding right now at the words he was spitting at her. He knew, of course, that Edward hadn't come. He wondered why, but more-so wanted to see if she would lie, or evade the fact that he wasn't there. He watched her hands ball into fists as she spoke.

"The treaty was already broken, and has been broken long before I turned. If anyone deserves to be punished for not keeping their word, it should be _you_, Jacob Black." She spoke each word with defiance flashing through her eyes, danger in her voice. "Besides... Edward is no coward, but he is not with me. I came alone, and I... I assure you that he will not be back for me," she finished the sentence, almost faltering, but regained confidence quickly.

"HA!" Jacob shouted, jabbing his index finger in the air. He watched Bella struggle to keep her face emotionless as he leaned casually against the tree beside him and crossed his arms. "I can honestly say that I am not the _least_ bit suprised. And I'll not hestitate one bit in saying 'I told you so'. However, he now deserves to die even more now than before for his ignorance in throwing away something so priceless."

At this, Bella raised her eyebrows.

"I'm not sure whether to be insulted or flattered." he started to smirk, but she continued, "But that's beside the point. No matter what he deserves, I refuse to let you touch him. You're going to leave him alone, whether he's ignorant or not, and if you touch him, _I_ will fight you. And let me assure you, Jacob Black, I'm not near as weak as I was," she finished menacingly, keeping her voice very cool. He shot her a cold glare.

"I can't believe after he fucks you over this badly, you still protect him. He makes you give up any life you could have had and condemns you to this half-life, and then repays you by throwing you away, but you STILL protect the bastard! Why?" he shouted finally, his temper beginning to get away from him. He could feel himself quiver just slightly. Her eyes narrowed.

"I may not love Edward, but I care for him, and unlike you, I don't turn my back on those I care about. Speaking of which, how's Billy? What's he think about the fact that you've been drinking to the point you're completely irrational, or do you even care about him or anything he might have to say?"

It happened very quickly. Like a lightning flash.

Jacob sprung forward and exploded into a wolf midair, his lunge aimed at Bella. She disappeared before his eyes. He landed and looked around to spot her sitting in a tree, her legs swinging through the air as though she was amused to watch him. He snarled and leapt into the air snapping at where Bella had been. His teeth had caught something, but barely. He felt a sting in his shoulder as he landed back to the ground. He looked and saw a bit of blood darkening his fur. He growled and turned his head slowly toward Bella. Part of her shirt was torn open on one arm, and a large gash-- though it wasn't bleeding or red in any way-- was exposed and was visibly healing upon infliction.

He ran at her. She sprung out of the way unharmed. The game continued like that, charging and darting, each occasionally landing a blow, but usually both missed. As he was coming at her again, she jumped into the air and landed on his back.

"Jacob, this is enough." she said softly, knowing he could hear her perfectly. He snarled and bucked her off his shoulders. Instead of hanging on, she jumped and landed nimbly behind him.

"I won't be here for much longer. Why don't we agree to a truce?" she suggested, desperation in her voice. He turned and began to stalk toward her slowly. She stood her ground. She continued to try to calm him down, but he continued to slowly stalk forward her, each step slow and precise, a low rumble in his throat. He was only ten feet away.

_"Stop!"_ she said with sternness in her voice. Her eyes looked so determined, her hand raised in the air to signal him to halt. Something in him made him listen, and he stopped stalking. He merely stood still now, his fur still standing on end, the low growl still escaping his throat. When she saw he was coming no further, she stepped forward. He took a lunging stance, but remained stationary.

"Jacob," she said gently, her eyes soft as she walked toward him, "I didn't come here to fight with you, or any other werewolves. I just wanted to be home again and see everything I once loved, even if only for a little while. I don't intend to stay longer than I'm welcomed, and I don't want to fight, so please...let's agree to a truce. I'll not attack you now if you agree not to attack me. Agreed?"

She was about seven feet away. Jacob had stopped growling, and merely stood staring at Bella, now noticing how sad her eyes were. Her words stung him slightly. He wanted so desperately to be able to trust her, but he'd done so many things to her before she'd left. He'd been so cruel to her, and now had attempted to kill her. There were many motives for her to want to get even, to kill him. What the hell could POSSIBLY make her trustworthy at this point?

Little did he know, similar thoughts to these were going through Bella's mind at the same moment.

Suspiciously, cautiously... he walked toward her, feeling his heart rate calm despite himself. She remained perfectly still, as though she was made of marble. He stopped when they were about five feet apart, and for what seemed like hours, they looked into one another's eyes, as if searching for some sign of dishonesty. Slowly, Jacob felt the familiar tingling sensation of needles pricking through his skin, and realized that his fur was sinking back into his body.

He sighed as he felt himself shifting back into his human form. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and opened them again to find Bella missing. He saw something move from the corner of his eye, and looked to see Bella walking toward him, holding out her long black coat. Realizing his... current state of dress, he accepted the coat silently, his eyes appreciative as he covered his naked flesh.

_How great this would be to explain to Sam... wearing nothing but a trench coat and walking through the woods with a vampire._

She looked at him expectantly, and he rolled his eyes and began to walk through the trees. They walked at a fast pace in silence, Bella slightly behind Jacob. Paranoia sweeping over him, he slowed until they were side by side and picked up the pace again. She sped up with him this time. They continued two miles without speech, until finally Jacob decided to speak.

"Where are you staying?" She looked at him shockedly, then raised an eyebrow at him.

"Being what I am, I don't really feel too threatened by much here..." he snorted.

"Yeah, a pack of werewolves isn't anything to worry about at all," he said sarcastically. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She looked thoughtful. "Believe it or not, I didn't think about that." He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smirk. Then suddenly he got an idea. He hesitated a little before he spoke.

"...You wanna stay with me for a bit?" popped the question casually. No answer. He glanced over his shoulder and realized she'd stopped walking. She was looking at him with a funny expression that he wasn't sure what it was.

"You don't mind?" she asked, slight bewilderment in her head. He laughed dryly. "Our truce was that we wouldn't attack one another and that you wouldn't fight with the other werewolves. If you hold up your end of the bargain, then I'll have to keep up my end and keep you safe from the pack. I'll have to keep you away from them 'til tomorrow at least, and then we'll have to meet them to discuss it," he told her. She began walking again, up to his pace almost immediately.

"Well, with an offer like that, how can I refuse?"

They continued the walk still tense, but a little more relaxed than before both feeling secure that the other wouldn't turn randomly and slash into them. They sped up when they saw his house in the clearing.

The door was unlocked; Jacob hadn't bothered to lock it on his way out. He opened the door and motioned for her to go into the room. Though it was pitch black now, she could see everything almost perfectly. He flipped the light on, and she raised her eyebrows at the mess. He watched her from the doorway as she stepped over obstacles in the floor, looking around the room with a cynical expression on her face. Something caught her eye next to the sofa and he saw her pause and reach for whatever it was. She held up an empty Vodka bottle and looked at him with one eyebrow raised. He merely shrugged, entering the room and shutting the front door behind him.

"The maid quit?" Bella asked casually as she looked at the busted TV apprehensively. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms as he watched her examine each broken thing as though it was particularly interesting.

"Yep, didn't like the wages apparently." She looked around the house, and then looked at Jacob confusedly. "Where's Billy?" Jacob frowned.

"He died about two years ago," he said quietly. He didn't look at her face as he continued, "It wasn't a big funeral. Sam and the pack were there, and Emily, and some more of the tribe, give or take. Charlie showed up, but left early. He didn't want to be there for the burial."

Silence.

"I'm... sorry," Bella said softly, obviously for lack of words. Jacob just shook his head and looked back at the messy room, hoping she'd take the hint that he wanted to quit talking about it. She did. She turned and squatted next to the TV.

"Well, it'll keep me busy until morning," She motioned to the room with one hand.

"You don't sleep?"

"None of us do." Figures.

"Well, I'm goin' to bed," he grumbled. She waved a hand dismissively and turned her attention back to the TV. He watched her curiously. Since when did she have a thing for electronics? Maybe they just get that bored...

He stifled a mischievious grin as he took off the long trench coat and dropped it over the armchair. He pretended not to notice anything out of the ordinary as she watched him walk across the living room and start to head up the stairs, both her eyebrows raised as high as they could physically go.

He was almost to the door when he heard her call his name.

"Yeah?" he replied at a normal volume. He knew she could hear him perfectly. She had gotten up and walked to the bottom of the staircase, stopping and looking at him, also ignoring the fact he was completely nude.

"Do I smell bad to you now?" she finally asked softly. He barely suppressed a grin, remembering their conversation about all this. He turned and looked at her, his eyes warm and one corner of his mouth slightly raised.

"No, less strong somehow... like peppermint," he told her. She looked relieved and smiled up at him. She started to walk away.

"Bella?" he asked. She reappeared and looked at him questioningly. "What about me?" She smiled without showing teeth, and shook her head.

"Like spice," she said simply and disappeared again. He couldn't help but smile broadly now that she couldn't see, and quietly entered what used to be the attic. And for the first time in almost four years, Jacob Black slept through an entire night.

**Well, there it is. Have you ever noticed that every time I write a chapter, they seem to just get longer and longer? Crazy… well, thanks for reading. Feedback is GREATLY appreciated and encouraged, as always. **

**Rosarita**


	7. Morning After

Jacob Black awoke the next morning to the scent of frying bacon. He reluctantly opened one eye and looked around, for a moment wondering where he was. Billy's room... not much bigger than his own room, which he now used for storage.

He briefly remembered that at one point he'd considered to clear off his old bed for Bella, but she had informed him after they'd arrived at home that she didn't sleep.

He sat up and stretched, groaning at the pull of his stiff muscles. Cracking his neck and back, he sniffed again at the smells. Various different breakfast smells were woven into and out of the dominate aroma of the bacon. He yawned and reached for the first pair of jeans he saw and pulled them on groggily.

He contemplated putting on a t-shirt, but realized that he was running low on them due to ripping so many, and the ones he saw in his room were caked with mud. So Jacob, not bothering with a shirt, opened the door of the bedroom and thumped down the stairs.

What he saw once he had arrived at the bottom of the stairs made his jaw drop. This did not look like his home.

The floors had been picked up of the various bottles, garbage and broken furnature, had been swept and was virtually spotless. The place where the floor was rotting through in the corner had been pulled up and new boards had been laid down. He knew there were other scuffs and scratches throughout the floor, but Bella had cleverly laid down a simple orange rug, covering the worst of it.

The dull green sofa now held patches where there were originally claw marks, rips, and chunks torn out of it. The stuffing that had been strewn around the floor and on the couch had been returned to inside the cushions, giving the coucha much fuller and less saggy appearance.

The previously broken side-table on the end of the couch was newly-repaired, and beneath it, where a pile of bottles had been before, there was now a little bright yellow wastebasket, gleaming as though it was grinning spitefully up at him.

And lastly, the busted up television had been turned right-side up and somehow fitted back together, a new screen fitted into it. He curiously reached down and turned the knob, and the TV came on instantly, the lights inside slowly brightening to show the news. The volume was turned way down, he guessed, so that Bella could listen to it without waking Jacob from his sleep.

He stepped back again and looked at the room as a whole. It didn't even look like it was his.

He walked into the kitchen. Bella had her back to him, her concentration on the skillet before her that she was turning the seared meat in.

She greeted him without turning around, "Goodmorning, Black." He grunted in return.

"Had a busy night?" he asked, stretching again as he eyed the breakfast food she'd made so far. She shrugged.

"I got bored."

He rolled his eyes and opened the fridge to take out the lone jug of milk from inside. There was rarely any food in his house. Any eating he did was at Sam and Emily's, with all the pack --

"Jesus, you stocked the fridge too?"

Bella only laughed, still not turning around. Her laugh was musical. He remembered it and he couldn't help but warm from it slightly.

"I couldn't sleep, and there was too much I could be doing."

"But the stores around here aren't open all night!" Jacob protested. Bella looked thoughtful.

"No, you're right. They aren't," she said, looking back down at the browning bacon.

"Where all did you go?" he pressed. She shot him an annoyed look.

"Out," she said firmly. Her tone marked the end of the conversation, and Jacob knew she wouldn't tell him anything else. Jacob rolled his eyes.

"Yeah. Okay."

Silence. Jacob felt himself subconsciously giving into the comfort that having Bella around this much seemed to cause. She had pleasantly surprised him cleaning up his house like that, and he appreciated it. And at the same time, he hated her for it. He hated her for making him not hate her.

He stood behind her and prodded some already finished bacon, as if expecting it to bite him. She raised an eyebrow.

"It's not trained to attack," she said sarcastically, nudging the plate toward him. "Eat some."

He was tempted. The scent was making his mouth water. Instead, he snorted.

"What, and let you poison me? I don't think so," he snapped and turned his head away in disgust. She whirled around on him.

"_Excuse _me?"

"Oh, you heard me. Just because I let you stay here doesn't mean I trust you. How do I know all the food and cleaning and shit wasn't to catch me unawares?" he watched the outrage on her face slowly take hold and couldn't help but smirk inwardly.

"Believe you me, Black, if I had wanted to kill you, I would have done it long before now; it would have been far too easy. Especially with you sleeping as deep as you did last night." she shook the hot fork at him warningly.

He growled and yanked the fork out of her hand, throwing it into the sink without breaking his glare at her. She glared right back, standing her ground defiantly. Jacob towered over her, but she refused to acknowledge that fact. She was a vampire, after all. A huntress. She had nothing to fear _really._ Deep down, she still thought of him as her playful Jacob Black.

"You watched me in my sleep? What, waiting for an opportune moment to attack?" he asked through gritted teeth, puffing out his chest and standing over her threateningly.

Bella laughed dryly. "I don't have to watch you. As big a creature as you are, I can hear you breathing from a mile a way." It was a small lie, but still.

Jacob opened his mouth to retort, but stiffened as he suddenly lost his train of thought. He screwed his eyes shut and cleared his mind as he felt the familiar feeling of someone standing behind him.

_"One has returned. You never informed me?"_ Sam Uley's voice (or something similar to his voice) asked growlingly in Jacob's mind. He answered back, _"She means no harm so far. She came to me for shelter temporarily. None have followed her. None know she's here."_

_"She will be easily done away with then. They cannot be trusted. She will not be endured." _Jacob heard the words echo multiple times, as though many other voices were agreeing with Sam. Then suddenly, they stopped. The deep breath before the plunge. Then came the insanity. So many thoughts collided, Jacob's head was spinning. Options. Jacob's mind could scarcely keep up with Sam's calculations and mental debates. It was as though being inside the mind of a chess player during a key moment in a game. As suddenly as the traffic of thought began, it stopped, and Jacob could feel a sense of undescisive decision around him.

"_She will not be harmed. Not yet. We will have a meeting... bring her. No ill fate will befall her until a decision is reached."_

And it was over. Jacob's mind cleared and he was in the present once again. His eyes opened to see Bella looking at him curiously, the fight no longer in her eyes. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Sam knows you're here. He wants a meeting, so that we will decide what to do with you." Jacob said steadily, the fight also leaving him. Not for the first time in his life, he felt a sense of apprehension at letting the werewolves anywhere near his Bella.

He froze.

_"__**My **__Bella? Where the hell did that come from? Why am I so damned protective all the sudden? ... I took an oath to keep her safe. That's why. I'm true to my word, and that's the only reason." _He decided firmly, and shoved any further arguments with himself out of his mind. They were once friends, and now they're acquaintances. They had never been more, and they never would be.

"When do we leave?" Bella asked quietly, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"As soon as possible. Sam sounded positive. We need to be in the circle within 15 minutes. It's a bit of a ways into the woods, so we need to leave now," he finished, turning away from her and placing his hand on the door knob.

"Wait."

Jacob growled and rounded on Bella, infuriated by the calm look on her face. He was anything but calm, yet here she was thinking she was in control of the situation.

"What do you mean, wait? We are leaving. And we're leaving _now._" He demanded, jerking open the door as emphasis. She scowled at him.

"I demand that you eat something. I put a lot of time into making it, and it'll be cold later if you don't eat it now."

"Aw, Christ!" Jacob exasperated, "It's not like you really even give a shit! Unless you _did _poison it."

Jacob stared at her in disbelief before he finally sighed in defeat. Grudgingly, he grabbed a piece of toast and shoved it in his mouth, swallowing it after only a few chews.

"There. I ate. Let's go."

Bella didn't move, only stared at him. He stared back, losing patience with her obstinance. He growled and grabbed a fistful of bacon, cramming it all into his mouth at once and chewing it, glaring at her all the time. She only smirked and handed him a glass of milk. He took it and downed the entire glass in two gulps.

"Now we can go." she said with a satisfied air. He watched her with an eyebrow raised as she strode past him and out the open door.

He noticed all she was wearing was a billowy white top (probably designer, by the silky look of it) that tied in the front, and dark, washed out jeans. Her trenchcoat was still draped over the armchair he'd left it on the night before.

"Won't you be cold?" he asked her. She looked at him like he was crazy. He grunted and rolled his eyes, stepping out and shutting the door behind him, not bothering to lock it. _Vampires..._

They both could have run. But for some reason, neither of them attempted it. They were content to merely walk the distance.

For a long time, there was only silence, for both were pensive. Bella was the first to speak.

"What can we expect?" she asked finally. Jacob glanced at her once before looking back straight ahead.

"Picture the way they were the first time you met them, only worse. Used to, you were something to avoid but protect. Now you're a threat, and you're something to kill."

Bella shuddered at his grim tone. Bella planned to kill herself after she left Forks one way or another. So really, it made no difference whether or not the pack got their hands on her. Yet for some reason the last thing she wanted was for her death to be at their hands. She had the feeling that her end would come a lot more violently, painfully, and probably in a much less dignified way.

She wasn't threatened by Jacob anymore. She knew she couldn't trust him fully, for if he even so much as suspected that she would turn on him, he wouldn't hesitate an attack. But even if he did, he was only one wolf, and she could easily take care of him if she really wanted to. One wolf was simple, two... possible. But three? Let alone five, or maybe more... how many _were_ there? The pack was bound to have grown in members. How many Quileute boys were there now?

She decided to think about something else.

"How did Billy die?"

"Cancer."

Silence again.

"I was truthful when I said I was sorry about his death. Billy wasn't always necessarily kind toward me, but he cared as much about my well-being as you do. Well... as much as you used to," she added as a sheepish after-thought. She didn't notice how much this comment bothered Jacob, and how badly he struggled to keep his face impassive. Regardless, he never responded to her comment. She sighed, kicking herself mentally and refusing to say anything more.

"Why do you do that?" he asked suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Breathe."

"Habit. My sense of smell is more acute, too. I feel naked without it."

Jacob grunted. They walked forward in silence yet again for the longest time.

Jacob suddenly stopped. Bella stopped and looked at him questioningly. He looked at her with a serious look in his eyes.

"Listen," he began, "Whatever problems go on between you and me are strictly between us. You kept your end of the truce so far, so I'm willing to keep mine. Since I'm temporarily responsible for keeping you safe, I'll do the best I can to keep them from ripping you apart." Bella couldn't help but feel touched. An agreement not to kill her had somehow molded into an oath of protection. She warmed at this, and looked into his dark eyes more trustingly than before.

"Such an optimist," she tried to lighten the mood, a half-hearted smile on her lips. Jacob didn't smile, only continued to look at her seriously.

Her smile faded and she too took on an apprehensive expression, "I'm not completely incapable like I once was. I can take care of myself."

"To a point. Even with me helping you, we're still outnumbered," he said. Bella bit her lip and slowly nodded in agreement. Jacob turned his back to her and began to walk forward again, but he felt a cool hand on his shoulder. He suppressed a flinch, even though her touch felt suprisingly nice. He allowed her hand to stop him, but refused to turn around.

"Thank you," her soft voice came, barely above a whisper. She didn't have to say it loudly. She knew he could hear it.

Jacob looked at her, the suprise evident on his face. Her eyes held something he couldn't interpret, and he fought to suppress his own emotions as well. She gave him an encouraging hallf-smile and runs her hand over his back lightly. Jacob couldn't help but give a strained smile back; the friendly guesture somehow turned to something terribly sensual when Bella did it.

She reluctantly took her hand from his shoulder and stepped to where she was beside him, pulling her eyes away from his to look ahead into the thrush before them, a dull, emotionless mask over her face. Jacob looked forward as well. The clearing was not yet visible, though both creatures knew that it wasn't much further.

Taking a deep breath, Jacob broke into a speedy fast-walk, Bella in pace beside him, toward the clearing of mutinous werewolves that would soon be before them.


End file.
